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  • 03/26/2018 7:55 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

    Just a few days ago, Orange County appeared to have a grand plan to deal with its swelling homeless population.

    But the plan is now in serious jeopardy after those three communities vowed to do whatever it takes to keep the shelters out. Leaders in Irvine and Laguna Niguel voted to sue the county to block the shelter plan, and local officials want to drop the Huntington Beach location.

    Read More: http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-homeless-collapse-oc-20180322-story.html

  • 03/23/2018 2:24 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

    March 23, 2018 -- After hearing from anxious landlords and tenants, Santa Monica’s Rent Control Board on Thursday asked staff to explore if -- and by how much -- both can share the rising costs of surcharges property owners now pass through to renters.

    The board ordered more analysis on the possibility of instituting a cap on the total in surcharges the renters can absorb, based, for example, on total rent paid.

    Read More: http://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2018/March-2018/03_23_2018_Santa_Monica_Landlords_Plead_Case_for_Continuing_to_Pass_Rising_Surcharge_Costs_to_Renters.html

  • 03/23/2018 2:21 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

    March 23, 2018 – Saying it needed more time for consideration, Santa Monica’s Rent Control Board Thursday tabled a motion calling for a measure on the November ballot to expand local rent control.

    The motion asked the board to recommend a City measure for next fall’s election to expand rent control to apartment buildings that have seen many rents soar after the passage of the 1995 Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act and, potentially, to others not covered by rent control.

    Read More: http://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2018/March-2018/03_23_2018_Santa_Monica_Rent_Board_Tables_Vote_on_Measure_to_Expand_to_More_Units.html

  • 03/23/2018 8:16 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

    A Los Angeles City Council committee agreed this week to explore ways of helping property owners finance costly seismic retrofits required by law in roughly 15,000 buildings.

    The city passed an ordinance in 2015 requiring the retrofitting, but the high upfront costs can cause enormous financial strain on property owners and could prevent its implementation, according to a motion introduced by Councilman Mitchell Englander and approved Monday by the Budget and Finance Committee.

    Read More: http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-seismic-safety-money-20180321-story.html


  • 03/22/2018 8:13 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

    Public hearing scheduled for this Thursday, March 22nd

    WHEN: Thursday, March 22, 7 p.m.

    WHERE: City Hall, Council Chambers, 1685 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401

    SANTA MONICA, Calif. – The Santa Monica Rent Control Board is considering changing the way that landlords pass through portions of their property tax bills to tenants as surcharges on controlled rents. Today, landlords can in most cases pass through five line items on their tax bills that relate to things Santa Monica voters approved. They include:

    • Bonds for improvements in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District
    • Bonds for improvements at Santa Monica College
    • The Stormwater Management Fee
    • The Clean Beaches and Ocean Parcel Tax
    • The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Parcel Tax

    Read More: https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2018/03/20/santa-monica-rent-control-board-to-consider-changes-to-property-tax-related-surcharges

  • 03/21/2018 4:53 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

    As proponents of a statewide voter-initiative gather signatures to put rent control reform on the November ballot, the Santa Monica Rent Control Board is considering a ballot measure of its own. If both measures are successful, the RCB would regain control over the monthly rate of thousands of apartments in Santa Monica.

    The Affordable Housing Act would put Costa-Hawkins up for repeal, potentially upending the law that allows landlords to lease rent-controlled apartments at market rate after a tenant moves out. If passed, the ballot measure would allow cities to decide whether to control rental rates. So far, signature gatherers for the Affordable Housing Act have gathered about 25 percent of the 365,880 signatures they need to have by June in order to put the initiative on the ballot.

    To not miss a beat, the Rent Control Board Thursday will debate a tandem local measure which, if approved, would immediately give the RCB power to dictate rents in thousands of units across the city.

    Read More: http://smdp.com/local-leaders-to-consider-rent-control-reform/165039

  • 03/21/2018 4:43 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

    March 21, 2018 -- Santa Monica property owners are warning the City's Rent Control Board that eliminating pass-throughs to tenants in the form of surcharges could jeopardize the future passage of funding measures.

    The city's landlords and their organizations have traditionally stayed on the sidelines when local voters have approved bonds and parcel taxes to fund capital projects, primarily for the School District and College.

    So far that has been the case -- with the approval of six bonds totaling more than $1.5 billion since 2012 -- because the Rent Board has allowed property owners to pass the surcharges on to tenants, usually in the form of small rent increases.

    But with those surcharges rising in buildings that are reassessed when they sell, the Board is considering eliminating the pass-throughs, a hotly debated issue it will take up at its meeting Thursday ("Santa Monica Rent Board to Discuss Eliminating Surcharges for Existing Tenants," March 20, 2018).

    Read More: http://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2018/March-2018/03_21_2018_Future_Bonds_in_Jeopardy_if_Rent_Board_Nixes_Pass_Throughs_Santa_Monica_Property_Owners_Warn.html

  • 03/21/2018 4:40 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

    The film editor told me, “I was sick of feeling like we residents had no voice or power,and I was sick of feeling unsafe in our own city. I wanted to make something that wouldn’t divide the city ideologically or politically... just rely on bare bone FACTS!!!

    Read More on page 4: http://backissues.smdp.com/032118.pdf

  • 03/20/2018 8:11 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

    Renters, property owners, and other stakeholders will have a chance to argue who should have to pay tax-based surcharges on rent-controlled apartment buildings on Thursday when the board holds a hearing on the subject. The Rent Control Board will deliberate at the hearing and likely move staff to come back with a proposed regulation in April.

    The RCB is specifically looking to hear from the public on solutions to an unintended consequence of Proposition 13: large tax increases on renters when Santa Monica’s multi-million dollar real estate changes hands. This city is one of the few rent control jurisdictions that allows building owners to pass through certain taxes approved by voters. Tens of thousands of renters currently pay surcharges on Measures X, S, BB, and AA. Landlords can also pass along a stormwater management user fee, the clean beaches and ocean parcel tax and a 2008 school district special tax.

    Read More: http://smdp.com/rent-control-board-will-hold-public-hearing-on-surcharges-thursday/165027

    ALSO on the agenda: The Santa Monica Rent Control Board will consider whether it should recommend that the City Council place on the ballot for the 2018 municipal general election a measure that would restore vacancy control (also known informally as strict rent control) in the City of Santa Monica. Even if approved by Santa Monica voters, the measure would go into effect only if California voters, at the statewide general election, approve The Affordable Housing Act, a voter initiative that would repeal provisions in state law that limit local rent-control laws. 
     Read More:  https://www.smgov.net/uploadedFiles/Departments/Rent_Control/About_the_Rent_Control_Board/Staff_Reports/2018/Item%2012B%20Affordable%20Housing%20Act.pdf

    AND: http://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2018/March-2018/03_20_2018_Santa_Monica_%20Rent_Board_Could_Eliminate_Surcharges_for_Existing_Tenants.html

    AND

    https://smmirror.com/2018/03/santa-monica-rent-control-board-consider-changes-property-tax-related-surcharges/

  • 03/16/2018 1:12 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

    Item on the Rent Control Board agenda for March 22, 2018

    B. Consideration of whether to recommend that the City Council place on the ballot for the 2018 municipal general election a measure to amend the City Charter to reestablish vacancy control in the City of Santa Monica if statewide voters approve The Affordable Housing Act (Costa-Hawkins Repeal) at the November 2018 California general election.

    See agenda and items 11-14:  https://www.smgov.net/uploadedFiles/Departments/Rent_Control/About_the_Rent_Control_Board/Agendas_and_Minutes/2018/RcB032218.pdf

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